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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27286960">Overheard</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheshirewritesagain2402/pseuds/cheshirewritesagain2402'>cheshirewritesagain2402</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Birds of a Feather... [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Hurt No Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:28:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,761</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27286960</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheshirewritesagain2402/pseuds/cheshirewritesagain2402</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>John Watson overhears a very interesting conversation between the Holmes brothers.</p><p>Note: As I keep asking myself that constantly when a fic is tagged just like mine: This is not Johnlock and never will be.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes/James Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes/Jim Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Birds of a Feather... [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2014882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Overheard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just a quick one-shot to get the idea out of my system.<br/>x C.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re in love with him.” Mycroft’s voice. And it’s not a question. </p><p>Sherlock’s voice is full of disgust.</p><p>“What? Are you insane?” But even John can tell that’s he’s lying. </p><p>He takes a deep breath. So it is true that Sherlock loves him. John had had a feeling that this might be the case but he hadn’t been sure. Now he knew.</p><p>And it made sense, really.</p><p>Lestrade had told him that there had never been anyone who had held Sherlock’s fascination for longer. </p><p>But how did he himself feel about it? Did he love Sherlock? He thought he might. It certainly wasn’t the “one true love” but there were definitely some feelings there. The detective wasn’t an unattractive man and John was certain he could do something with it. </p><p>From the way Sherlock had reacted just now John knew that he would need to make the first step as the other would be too shy to even admit to his own feelings. But that was alright. </p><p>———————</p><p>It had been two weeks since John had overheard the conversation between Mycroft and Sherlock. He knew that Sherlock was secretly in love with him. John had wanted to talk with him about it, but he hadn’t had a chance to get him in private yet. </p><p>Sherlock had been uncharacteristically busy, even for himself, as of late, giving John only the explanation of a case that had come up or some samples he needed to check over at St Bart’s.</p><p>Now John had decided it was enough of the anxious waiting he had been doing. So he had decided to go seek Sherlock out in the lab of Bart’s, hoping he would be able to convince Molly, if she was still at work, to go out for a moment or maybe leave for the night. And then he and Sherlock would be able to have a chat. Finally. </p><p>And then?</p><p>John had thought about it. He definitely wanted to kiss his best friend. About going any further John hadn’t really thought yet. (Of course he had, but he was not ready to consciously admit that just now. He had preferred to do it behind closed doors with a hand down his pants.)</p><p>Sherlock was definitely more inexperienced than he was. He wouldn’t want to move too quickly anyways. He would need John’s guidance. And therefore John would be able to pick the speed at which their relationship was going to move forwards.</p><p>John arrived at the lab and took a deep breath. He could do it. </p><p>He put his hand on the door, ready to push it open, when he suddenly heard voices coming from the inside. </p><p>At first he thought it was Molly, but when he opened the door the smallest fraction, he could hear two distinctive male voices.</p><p>Male?</p><p>John pushed the door open a little more. </p><p>There was Sherlock sitting on a chair, peering at something through a microscope. </p><p>And then a second man came into view. He was shorther than Sherlock but equally lean. He bent over Sherlock’s shoulder and Sherlock moved his head slightly so the dark haired could take a look throught the microscope as well. Their faces were uncomfortably close but neither of them seemed to mind.</p><p>“Fascinating. It’s alive.”</p><p>Sherlock rolled his eyes as the man pulled away. </p><p>Now John could see his face properly and he recognised him as the man Molly had introduced as her boyfriend some weeks ago. Joe? Jack? Oh no, Jim. IT department at Bart’s. </p><p>Jim only moved far enough so Sherlock could look through the lense again. </p><p>“Of course it’s alive. It grows and it devours the organism it latches itself onto, therefore it has to be alive in some way.”</p><p>John watched in horror as Jim’s expression turned to what he couldn’t describe as anything else than utter fondness. </p><p>The detective turned towards him and John wasn’t able to see his face anymore, but he knew Sherlock would just raise an eyebrow at the other.</p><p>Jim leaned in even closer. He gaze wandered to Sherlock’s lips. </p><p>“Sherlock.”, he started in such a low voice that John had to seriously strain his ears to overhear. “I... I want to tell you something.”</p><p>No. This couldn’t be happening. Not when John had plans of his own of telling Sherlock something even bigger. He had to do it now. Right now.</p><p>“I...”, Jim started and that’s precisely when John pushed the door open and strode in.</p><p>Jim jumped back from Sherlock as if he had been electrocuted but Sherlock seemed unperturbed. He just swivelled in his chair to face John.</p><p>“John. I thought you were out tonight?”, he frowned. </p><p>“Change of plans.”, John waved him off. </p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>John noticed the subtle look of disappointment on Jim’s face out of the corner of his eyes. So he had hoped to be alone with Sherlock. And do what? Not going to happen. Not as long as John had a say. Sherlock was in love with him anyways, not Jim.</p><p>“What are you doing here then?”, Sherlock asked in his usual blunt way and John knew better than to be offended. </p><p>“You said you had an experiment going? I wanted to have a look at how it is going.”</p><p>Sherlock frowned. To give him credit, John was never interested in his experiments and therefore it was alright for him to be suspicious. </p><p>“I just thought...” John shrugged. “We could spend a little more time together. I barely see you anymore in the flat.”</p><p>“Oh yes that.”</p><p>Sherlock glanced over at Jim.</p><p>“John, this is Jim Moriarty. He works here in the IT department. Jim, this is John Watson my flatmate.”</p><p>Jim smiled a little and stepped foward, extending his hand.</p><p>“Good to meet you. I read a lot of your stories.”</p><p>John shook his hand.</p><p>“They’re documentations of real cases, not stories.”</p><p>“No they aren’t.”, Sherlock intercepted. “If they were records of real cases, they would be scientific, not romantic.”</p><p>Jim chuckled. </p><p>John glared at them both.</p><p>Sherlock shot a brief smile towards Jim. </p><p>Sherlock? Smiling? Had he tried to make Jim laugh? No way. Not Sherlock. </p><p>“I think I saw you a few weeks ago? Here?”</p><p>Sherlock looked at him.</p><p>“And you’ll be seeing more of each other in the future.”, Sherlock announced and went back to his samples, clearly already bored with the conversation. </p><p>“What? Why?” Did he misunderstand something Sherlock had just said.</p><p>“You saw us earlier, John. Do not pretend you’re dumber than you already are.”</p><p>“Saw what?”</p><p>John felt really stupid right now. He usually did in Sherlock’s presence but right now he felt as if he was a real idiot. </p><p>Sherlock sighed and pulled away from his precious experiment or whatever he was doing this for right now. </p><p>“You saw Jim look at me. You saw the way he looked at me. Clearly he’s hopelessly in love with me.”, came out of Sherlock’s mouth, unfiltered. </p><p>Jim blushed a deep crimson, his mouth opening and closing.</p><p>“I... I don’t...”</p><p>Sherlock turned towards him and the expression on his face softened. </p><p>John just stared at them both, unable to speak, unable to think. What the hell was just happening?</p><p>“I didn’t want you to deduce it, although I knew you would.”, Jim mumbled embarrassed.</p><p>Sherlock still stared at Jim’s face. Then...</p><p>“I’m in love with you too.”</p><p>Wait. Full stop. What had Sherlock just said? But Mycroft had asked him... And Sherlock had lied... Oh. They hadn’t been talking about him. They had been talking about Jim. </p><p>At least John hadn’t said anything to embarrass himself. Well, nothing too bad. </p><p>But that left John now with all these unrequited feelings, which he had only come to terms with lately. What was he going to do now? Live with Sherlock and pretend he didn’t feel anything?</p><p>Jim and Sherlock were staring at each other. Then Sherlock stood in the same moment Jim closed the distance and they caught each other’s lips in a kiss that wasn’t as much filthy as it was intimate. John had to avert his eyes. </p><p>Something began to burn in him at the sight of those two. Something that ate up the feelings he had for Sherlock and transferred them into anger. </p><p>It had been Sherlock who had let him on in the first place, hadn’t it? It was him who had made him feel special. Wanted. And now? Now he wasn’t interesting enough anymore by the looks of it. </p><p>“John.”, Sherlock’s voice interrupted his thoughts. </p><p>Jim was standing with his hand in Sherlock’s as the detective looked John over. He was sure he could read him like a book right now but the other man wasn’t good with feelings. He might get away with playing it off. </p><p>If it wasn’t for Jim.</p><p>“You’re upset.”, Sherlock stated, not understanding why, as John had expected. </p><p>“Listen, John.”, Jim started and it took all of John’s willpower not to growl at him. “I’m not sorry for falling in love with Sherlock, but I understand that the situation is... less than ideal for you.”</p><p>John gritted his teeth as not to say anything harsh to a man who was only trying to be nice. Who was actually quite nice. </p><p>“Which situation?”, Sherlock asked, looking at Jim.<br/>
Jim sighed, squeezing Sherlock’s hand. </p><p>“He’s got feelings for you as well.”, he gently explained. </p><p>“I don’t.”, spat John a little too quickly to be believable. </p><p>Sherlock just stared at him. </p><p>“Romantic feelings.”, Jim clarified and John was ready to jump and throttle him. </p><p>“I don’t.”, John said through gritted teeth, his hands clenching into fists.</p><p>“John, I’m...” Sherlock looked at Jim helplessly. He just nodded. </p><p>“John, I’m sorry.”, Sherlock started again. “But I do like Jim-“ Jim elbowed him playfully. Sherlock corrected himself. “I love Jim. I have never loved anyone before and this all is foreign to me, but I am... happy.”</p><p>“Alright. Good for you. No, really. I... I’ll go. I’ll see you in the flat.”</p><p>Sherlock nodded and Jim gave him a small smile. He was a nice guy. Too bad. That way it would be a little harder to hate him. </p><p>There wasn’t much John could do about that but walk away. So that’s what he did. </p><p>As he turned around in the doorway, Jim smiled encouragingly at Sherlock. The detective smiled and nodded once, before he bent down and touched their foreheads together. </p><p>“So, you love me, hmm, Mr Holmes.”, Jim said, a grin spreading over his face. </p><p>Sherlock just bent down to kiss him as the door closed.</p>
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